| Chinese people in the East and the West have undergone great transitions at the personal, familial, and social levels. This dissertation is an attempt to initiate a dialogue between East and West about pastoral care with families in transition from the socio-cultural, psychological, as well as theological and systems perspectives. Narratives and rituals, wisely employed, can provide more effective Christian care to families in transition.; The pastoral care approaches suggested in this dissertation include four dimensions: (1) understanding the culture and systems of the family; (2) listening to persons' stories and sharing their transitions; (3) linking human stories and culture to divine narratives; and (4) empowering growth through transforming rituals. These approaches can be used separately or concurrently to provide effective Christian care to diverse families undergoing transitions, to enable them to find their cultural roots, define their life situation, and develop resources to build cohesive and loving families. They are designed for Chinese families but are applicable to other ethnic groups.; Chapter one explores the phenomena of rapid change in postmodern Chinese societies, possible paradigms to enable families to make better sense of their life transitions, and the challenge for pastoral care with Chinese families in transition. Chapters two and three continue the dialogue between East and West by reviewing the meanings and functions of narratives and rituals in American and Chinese cultures. Chapter four develops pastoral care approaches to empower individual growth and family strength to cope with rapid life changes in a postmodern world. These approaches are based on understanding the cultural and emotional systems of families undergoing transition. A theological construct of a loving and caring God who attends to His creatures' daily needs and in particular during critical times and ambivalences in life transitions will be used. Case studies of Chinese families undergoing major passages of life will be included in chapter five. Chapter six provides a deeper understanding of pastoral care in the postmodern world and suggestions for further research. |
